Nothing Left to Fear
by Optimistique
Summary: A one-shot re-telling of the last two episodes of season 1 from Kanan's POV. What might have been going through his head at the time. Helps explain why Kanan may have been so convinced that Ezra died during the battle with the Inquisitor.


Author's Note: So after watching season 1 of Rebels and becoming entranced, I knew I had to contribute something to this fandom. I was touched at the father/son-like relationship between Kanan and Ezra. That is the focus of this story. It picks up near the beginning of "Rebel Resolve." I have also read the novel "A New Dawn," which describes a bit of Kanan's young adult life, so inspiration for his character was also drawn from this.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, the show, or the episodes depicted here. Just my thoughts about what might have been going through Kanan's mind during this time.

**Nothing Left to Fear**

Kanan found it ironic, in a twisted sort of way, that the Force—the very thing he had spent most of his teenage and young adult years trying to distance himself from—was now the only thing keeping him alive. He was just lucky, he supposed, that his Jedi training came back to him so clearly during his times of greatest need. Now was definitely one of those times.

Kanan was captured, inside an Imperial Star Destroyer, and bound hand and foot to a cold metal plank that propped him up until he was almost vertical. The Imperial interrogation droids had done their work. Serum seeped through his veins, slowing his senses. It was intended to cloud his mind, coaxing a captor into spilling whatever information the Empire wanted. But Kanan had reached out to the Force long before they began. He wrapped up his memories, his knowledge, and anything else he possibly could and tucked it away deep inside his mind where mere medicine could not reach it. As Moff Tarkin stood before him, light eyes boring into his prisoner, all that played through Kanan's thoughts was: _there is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force..._

Again and again the Jedi Code repeated in his mind, giving strength to his connection to the Force. If it had not been for his resilience, if he had given in and told them whatever they wanted early on, then they probably would have disposed of him by now.

"It's only a matter of time before he cracks," a voice said through the haze. Agent Kallus. Or as Kanan liked to call him, Sargent Mutton Chops.

"_You _have wasted enough of my time!" Tarkin answered angrily.

Kanan opened his eyes just slightly as he heard the door to his cell whoosh open.

The blurry image of the Inquisitor stepped in to join the spectators. "You are no doubt unaware that Jedi are trained to resist mind probes," he told Tarkin loftily.

"_If_ he is the Jedi he claims to be," Tarkin sneered in response, "I take it you have a solution?"

A pause. "Pain," the Inquisitor said then. "A Jedi still feels pain. And pain can break anyone."

That didn't sound good. Kanan steeled himself, drawing on the Force to strengthen the shield around his mind. The Inquisitor stepped forward, lifting one boney hand up before the Jedi's face.

And that's when the attack hit. Like a hand around his throat, an intense pressure squeezed through Kanan's consciousness. A sharp pang shot through his brain. His head pounding, he could feel the Inquisitor's life force strike against his own. The Sith burrowed beneath his mental shield, searching for the very things Kanan had hidden away. Long seconds of pain passed as the two Force-infused minds struggled against each other.

_You will tell me where to find your rebel friends. _The words hit like blaster shots. Then suddenly an image flashed before Kanan's eyes. At first he was terrified it was a memory, and that the Inquisitor was starting to break through. But then he realized that it was something he had not seen before. A vision? Could a vision of the future be coming to him _now_? He saw Ezra, facing the Inquisitor alone with lightsaber in hand. But they were in a place Kanan did not recognize. The image changed abruptly and he saw Ezra laying on metal flooring, unmoving. He looked dead.

"No," Kanan rasped through clenched teeth, hardly realizing that he was doing so. "Ezra?" The pressure on his mind intensified. The picture of his dead padawan would not leave. "Not him. NOT. HIM." He rebuked the vision, willing it to vanish.

"What do you see?" the Inquisitor pressed.

"I…I see…" Kanan answered involuntarily.

"Go on," the Sith commanded.

Forcefully shoving the horrific vision aside, Kanan returned his focus to pushing back against his attacker. He would not allow this to happen. Before, his entire focus was on continuing to protect his crew by hiding any information he had about them. But that was no longer enough. Ezra was going to be in danger, and Kanan was not there to help him. He had to survive this, and he had to find Ezra. This resolve gave him a rush of power. It was enough that he could almost push the Inquisitor entirely out of his mind. Opening narrowed eyes he growled, "I see…you…growing more and more frustrated."

The Inquisitor lowered his hand and the attack stopped. "Perceptive."

Kanan let out a sigh and dropped his head back against the metal table, trying to take refuge in the reprieve. He knew it wouldn't last long.

And it didn't. The Inquisitor instead waved his hand toward the side of the room. "Perhaps you can help elevate my frustration," he said.

Kanan glanced quickly from side to side as two metal rods approached him on long mechanical arms. White hot electricity sparked to life and an instant later Kanan was enveloped by what felt like a thousand knives piercing every muscle. He cried out in agony. All thoughts left him. All focus was gone. He knew nothing but pain. He saw nothing and heard nothing.

When it finally stopped, Kanan heaved, his mouth totally dry. Then they shocked him again. This time it was stronger.

It became an excruciating cycle. Each time his muscles felt weaker and his insides churned. He lost all concept of time. It must have gone on for hours. Or maybe it was days. His throat quickly became raw from screaming. _Fight it!_ he told himself between each bout. His crew—his family—still needed him. Ezra needed him. And then the pain would start anew.

Finally, the metal arms retreated. Kanan groaned as smoke wafted from his charred clothes.

"His resistance…is impressive," he heard the Inquisitor say.

"Yes," Tarkin agreed, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "He does possess the will of a Jedi of old."

The Inquisitor paused. "Is it possible…he does not know of any other rebels to speak of?"

"Perhaps. I recommend we transfer him from Lothal to another location. One that never fails to extract a confession. …Mustafar."

Even with his body aching and his mind reeling, Kanan felt himself grow pale. Mustafar. Where Jedi go to die. Millennia ago, Mustafar had been a lush green world that housed a Jedi enclave. But after a battle of epic proportions between hundreds of Jedi and Sith, it was transformed into the hotbed of eternal volcanic activity that it was today. As a result, the entire planet was seeped in the Dark Side. As a padawan, Kanan had been warned never to go near Mustafar. It had proven too much for some Jedi to handle. In the years following the Clone Wars, the Empire hunted down and killed most of the Jedi. Any remaining Jedi that had information that needed extracting were taken to Mustafar and tortured in a place where the presence of the Dark Side broke their resolve until they finally succumbed and were killed.

As the Inquisitor and Tarkin exited his cell, Kanan slumped against his restraints. Despair gnawed at him. They were taking him away from Lothal to kill him, and then would return and kill Ezra too. Is that what his vision meant? It was his last thought before his body at last gave in to unconsciousness.

Kanan snapped awake some time later as a sudden rush of dark energy assailed him. He could feel it. The aura of the planet reached him even here. The star destroyer must have just exited hyperspace. He wondered if they would move him down onto Mustafar's unstable surface or if staying in orbit would be enough for them.

He did not have to wait long to find out. The Inquisitor soon reentered his cell, this time without Tarkin or Kallus. Without a word, he waved at the mechanical arms. Kanan flinched as the shocks began again. It lasted longer than before, until he was nearly unable to scream anymore. All the while the Inquisitor looked on, his unsettling yellow eyes gleaming.

When the electricity eased off at last, the Sith taunted, "Still protecting your precious crew? Quite Admirable. But what I want to know…is about the other rebels. Code name 'Fulcrum.'"

Kanan was breathing hard, but still answered acidly, "I know nothing of a larger rebellion. But if I did, I would rather give my life than tell _you_." It wasn't a lie. It was for this very reason that he and Hera had agreed he should remain in the dark about her "contacts." He was just glad that his capture had allowed Hera and the others to escape. If she were here in Kanan's place…well, he didn't want to think about that.

"So heroic," the Inquisitor continued, unperturbed. "Just like your master. Tell me Jedi, how did you survive order 66? Hm?"

Kanan looked down, frowning. So. The serum and the physical torture had not worked, so now they were going to try the psychological. He reached out to the Force, trying to strengthen his will. But his connection was…weak. The Dark Side was so strong here, it was choking out the Light. _There is no emotion…there is…peace…_ Kanan tried to recite the words in his mind, even as they seemed to be slipping farther away.

"It was your master Billaba who laid down her life for yours," the Inquisitor continued, stepping up to Kanan's side. "Do you remember her last word to you? Her last and final breath before she died?"

Seemingly against his will, the dreaded memory began to play in Kanan's mind. The memory that had haunted him for years. What made him spend his life running from one place to the next, just to distract himself from the grief. The day that forever changed the life of padawan Caleb Dume, the Jedi that never was.

"You do, don't you?" the Sith pressed, leaning in closer to his prisoner. "You see it in your sleep. You hear her voice when you wake."

Kanan shook his head, trying to dispel the horrible images. The Inquisitor brought his face right up to Kanan's ear so that his foul breath assaulted his nostrils as he asked, "Tell me Jedi, what was her last word to you?"

Kanan told himself to stay quiet, tried to shut out the darkness that was creeping into his mind. Instead, he heard himself answer, "Run."

The Sith leaned back a bit. "And does your loyal and precious crew know that you ran as your master fell? Abandoned her and the Jedi Order when they needed you most?"

Kanan looked away. The only one on the crew of the _Ghost_ who knew details about his past was Hera, and even she was only privy to bits and pieces. It was not a subject he liked to discuss. Kanan felt the darkness grow stronger. How _would_ they react if they knew the full story?

The Inquisitor turned away and began pacing slowly about the room. "What do you think your rebels would do if they knew their leader was a coward? You're even afraid of your own power."

He took Kanan's lightsaber from his own belt and activated it with a _snap-hiss._ "You don't have the courage to wear your full saber out in the open."

Kanan glared at him, but he knew his resolve was lessening. The Inquisitor whipped the lightsaber around and brought the glowing blue point just inches from Kanan's face. "Let me tell you something Jedi. You're _right_ to be afraid. You couldn't save your master then, and you can't save your followers now."

Just then, a comm signal beeped on the Sith's belt. Annoyed, he deactivated the lightsaber and snapped into his communicator, "Yes?"

"Sir, we have a situation that requires your attention," a voice said through the device.

The Inquisitor sniffed and put the comm away. Reattaching the saber hilt to his belt, he fixed his eyes squarely on Kanan. "Know this Jedi: it's only a matter of time before we find your rebels. And once we do, there will be no hope for them." And with that he left.

Kanan had never felt so alone in his life. After he had fled from the dying Jedi Order and before he met Hera, he had led a largely solitary life. He had convinced himself that he did not need company. He made a few friends here and there, but always pulled out and ran for it when anyone started getting too close. They might find out the secret of his past, which in the Empire was a death mark. Any time he got too lonely, there was always a drink nearby that could cheer him up.

But now… Now there were people that he cared for deeply. He had willingly sacrificed himself to keep them safe, but it wasn't enough. All he could do was wallow in despair, feeling the darkness of Mustafar clawing at him. He had failed them. He could not help his family. He could not save Ezra.

Lost in his dark musings, Kanan almost missed the slight brush against his mind. Blinking, he fought for focus through the mental shadows. There it was again, a cautious touch, vastly different from the Inquisitor's attack. He closed his eyes, forcing his thoughts to quiet. The presence approached him again. A wonderfully familiar presence.

With a gasp, Kanan's eyes shot open. _Ezra!_ Ezra was here! He could feel him somewhere nearby. He caught a glimpse of relief travelling through their bond and then it receded. If Ezra was here, the rest of the crew must be too. A mixture of joy and worry flooded Kanan's insides. What were they planning? How were they getting inside the star destroyer? How did they even know to come here? Could they do this without him?

He spent the next several minutes racing through every possible way this might play out, and wondering what he could do to help them, when the Inquisitor reappeared. He looked short on patience, wasting no time in setting up the electric rods. "Moff Tarkin grows anxious Jedi," he growled. "I suggest you cooperate now, before he decides you are not worth the trouble."

Just then, the lights in the cell flickered. The Inquisitor paused, looking up at them. "They're here," he said, turning again for the door. "So predictable."

The prisoner momentarily forgotten, he made a quick exit.

_Great_, Kanan thought. The only way they had found to get in was one that gave them away immediately. Swallowing down his concern, he reached out with the Force, searching for Ezra. He could feel him. He was distracted, but maybe if Kanan could connect with him again, it would make it easier for his friends to find him.

He tried desperately to latch on to the slippery, unfocused presence that was his padawan. So young, so incredibly determined. All Ezra had to do was find Kanan before the Inquisitor found him, and then they could escape here together. As long as Kanan was with him, then the vision of Ezra battling alone would not come to pass.

Long minutes passed. Ezra was drawing closer. Kanan kept his eyes closed, forcing himself to remain patiently calm. Suddenly the door to his cell slid open.

"Turns out you taught me pretty well."

Kanan let out a small sigh and allowed himself to smile for the first time in days. The smile was echoed on Ezra's face as he approached his master.

"You shouldn't have come here," Kanan said tiredly, "but I'm glad you did."

"You would have done the same for me. In fact you have," Ezra reminded him, reaching for the restraints. With a tug at the clamp around Kanan's chest, the rest of his constraints snapped open. Weak, Kanan stumbled forward. Ezra quickly caught him, supporting his back as Kanan's right arm draped uselessly over the kid's shoulders.

They took a second to get situated as Kanan struggled to get his footing. He could feel the worry radiating from Ezra. He knew he was leaning on him far too heavily, but after all he had been through, standing was proving to be somewhat of a challenge. As soon as he was able, Ezra methodically guided him out the door.

"This way," Ezra said, turning to the right. "We had to block the quickest path on the way in, so we'll have to take the long way."

Kanan took his word for it, attempting to focus on just putting one foot in front of the other. The electric shocks had done more damage to his muscles than he anticipated. No need to let the kid know it though. He fought to keep his head clear and ignore the pain. They just needed to get out of here alive. Then he could think about getting medical attention.

They traveled down one hallway and then the next without meeting any resistance. The rest of the crew must have been diverting the majority of the storm troopers. Kanan tried his best not to worry about them. After coming to the end of a very long passage, they turned left through a door that slid open automatically on their approach. Once glance told Kanan that this led out of the detention level and deeper into the belly of the ship. It was an enormous room with catwalks on various levels that led to different pieces of equipment, engines, and control panels. Some of the most crucial components to running a vessel this large were housed here, including the multi-story main power core.

They only took a few steps out onto the central walkway when they were stopped dead in their tracks. There, several meters away and blocking their path, the Inquisitor stood waiting for them. Without a single word, he activated one end of this lightsaber.

A surge of protectiveness swelled up in Kanan's chest. It was one thing to have the deplorable Sith causing all manner of pain on _him_. He could handle himself. But there was no way in Hell he was laying a hand on Ezra. Glaring, Kanan straightened. It was time to end this threat once and for all.

"Let me borrow that," he said, reaching for the lightsaber on Ezra's belt.

His padawan quickly stepped behind him. "Yeah, no problem."

Activating the weapon, the opponents stood frozen for a moment. Then Kanan made the first move. A rush of adrenaline blasted through his veins and he ran, blade held out straight before him. The Inquisitor did not waiver, simply waiting for Kanan to near him. But the Jedi had at least one trick up his sleeve. When he was halfway there, he suddenly deactivated the lightsaber and instead pulled the trigger and sent blasts of blue energy hurdling forward. Ezra's ingenious little invention caught the Inquisitor off his guard and forced him to hastily block each bolt. Then just as Kanan reached him, the blade came back out and he thrust it forward.

The ensuing battle was unlike anything Kanan had experienced in the last fifteen years. He struck hard and rapidly at the Sith. Each time their sabers met, sparks flew. Kanan forced him backwards a few steps, and then had to leap away as the Inquisitor made to kick his ribs. He ran back forward, firing more bolts. Their blades met again in a rapid display.

Looking for an opening, Kanan swiped at his enemy's legs. But the Inquisitor was too quick. He jumped over Kanan in a Force-propelled flip and landed on the walkway in between Kanan and Ezra. Luckily, his focus remained on the Jedi. He rushed forward, swinging furiously as his yellow eyes shone in unnatural delight. Kanan went on the defensive, desperately blocking each strike.

In a sudden burst of energy, the Inquisitor swung down hard at Kanan's face. He got his lightsaber up just in time to catch it, but the Sith stayed in position, pushing so hard that Kanan had to lean back, the heat from the sabers nearly scorching his face. He willed his tired muscles to hang on. The Inquisitor's pointed teeth showed in a gleeful smile as Kanan's arms strained.

Then all of a sudden the Inquisitor's attention was diverted. With a quick look to the side, he shoved Kanan backwards. Only then could Kanan see the glowing blue of another lightsaber, his lightsaber, held high in Ezra's grasp.

"At last," the Inquisitor said, looking between the two of them. "A fight that might be worthy of my time." He activated the other end of his lightsaber.

A glance was all Kanan and Ezra had time to share. But in that moment both could feel the determination of the other. Kanan reached out to the Force and locked on to his bond with his apprentice. _He's not alone,_ he thought. _We'll do this together._

Simultaneously, they dashed forward. Each swung powerfully and each time a different end of the Inquisitor's saber was there to meet them. Kanan tried to keep the focus of the fight on himself. With a shout he struck hard, drawing on whatever energy he had left. The Inquisitor activated the propeller-like function of his weapon, leaping nimbly back and forth and showering them with a flurry of blades. Every time the Sith turned toward Ezra, Kanan took another shot at his back. But every time he was met with a swift block and a new attack.

Still, the Inquisitor soon seemed to become overwhelmed with the attacks from both sides. He caught Kanan's attack and held the lightsabers there in a lock between them. He then turned back and threw out one hand toward Ezra. The teen was blown backwards down the catwalk in a Force push that caused his lightsaber to deactivate. Kanan had no time to worry. The Inquisitor was on him again, spinning his weapon quickly around. Distracted by the parrying the whirling blades, Kanan was too late to react to the feet connecting with his chest.

He stumbled backwards, trying to breathe. The Inquisitor took his chance. Kanan felt himself flying backwards through the air. He landed with a thud right next to the central control panel, the wind knocked out of him even further. Lights flickered before his eyes as he commanded air to enter his lungs.

_Get up!_ His head screamed at his body. _Ezra cannot face him alone!_ He heard the whirring of the Inquisitor's lightsaber as it sailed through the air. Kanan pushed himself up on his elbows just in time to see it collide with Ezra. The boy swung his own lightsaber, but it was not enough to completely divert the projectile. With a cry of pain and a flash of blood, he fell from the walkway.

"_NO!"_ Kanan screamed, reaching for him instinctively.

There was no response. Kanan crawled on shaky hands and knees to the edge of the platform. He could see where Ezra had fallen, one level down on another catwalk. He was laying still. Just like in the vision. Kanan desperately tried to locate their Force bond to see if he was still alive. In return there was only silence. He felt like he was grasping at a string that had been completely severed in the middle.

Time stood still. Kanan could only stare helplessly at his padawan. His worst fear had been realized. Ezra was gone. Just like Master Billaba. And Okadiah. And all the Jedi. Loss, it seemed, was the only constant in his life. Kanan had to shut his eyes as grief welled up in his throat. He had failed him. He was too weak to protect Ezra. Now the hope for the future, the hope for all Jedi, had died. The young boy, so optimistic, so fiercely loyal, so strong of heart. To never see his smile again…

No. Kanan would not succumb to this. Ezra would not want it. He took one deep breath in and let it back out. Suddenly his exhaustion fell off of him like a cloak. He became acutely aware of every sound, every smell, the faint pulsing of the various lifeforms milling about the ship. The vast energy of the living Force slipped in through his nostrils and took up residence inside his body. _There is no death, there is the Force._

Kanan stood slowly and turned to face the Inquisitor. The murderer stood still and watched him with a diabolically amused grin.

"That was a mistake," Kanan warned him.

"Why?" the other shrugged. "Because you have no one left to die for you?"

Kanan held out his right hand, calling the hilt of the lightsaber that Ezra had dropped to him. With one weapon in each hand, he brought them to life before him. His face was bathed in blue light as he answered, "No. Because I have nothing left to fear."

The Inquisitor's grin only widened. He held his blade in front of his face in an ancient recognition of the start of a duel. Kanan mimicked the gesture, deadly serious.

This time, they both sprang forward at once. Kanan had never wielded two lightsabers before, but somehow that just didn't matter. Nothing did. There were no distractions. He was intensely focused. It felt like all the energy of the universe was at his disposal. He had never been so completely in tune with the Force in all his life. His lightsabers whistled through the air with ease, blocking each strike from the Inquisitor and lunging for attacks of his own. He could feel everything that was going to happen a split second before it did.

The Inquisitor jumped and parried. Kanan did the same. It was like a deadly, acrobatic dance. The Sith swiped his blade at Kanan's head and then jumped backwards. Kanan advanced on him, shooting bolts with Ezra's lightsaber and keeping his own up at the ready. The Inquisitor slowly began to be pushed backwards.

Kanan pushed him all the way to the central control console. The Sith took refuge behind this, striking at his opponent with his long spinning saber. It was no hindrance to Kanan. He gave it a good slice that forced the Inquisitor to retreat further. Blades clashing all the way, The Inquisitor continued to back up until suddenly his feet had no more ground to walk on. Kanan locked eyes with him and proceeded forward, firing Ezra's weapon. Cornered, the Sith paused with his lightsaber held up in the defensive.

Kanan strode up before him. "You were right," he said intensely. "I was a coward. But now I know there's something stronger than fear. _Far _stronger. The Force."

Perhaps sensing the geyser of Force energy coming from the Jedi, the Inquisitor activated his lightsaber's propeller function and held it in front of himself like a body-length shield. In the past this had caused quite a bit of trouble for Kanan, but suddenly he saw exactly what to do. "Let me show you how strong it is," he finished.

Placing the tips of both his sabers inside the center ring holding the Inquisitor's weapon together, Kanan slashed outward. It broke instantly. The two separate pieces went hurdling over the edge of the walkway. Unable to fight the momentum, the Inquisitor immediately followed.

Kanan staggered as the red blades careened into the huge power core, causing two separate explosions. A circular wave of energy burst out soon after. It traveled the length of the core and then ignited the machinery at the top. The entire hall was soon filled with orange firelight. But Kanan was not done yet. The Inquisitor held onto the edge of the walkway by his fingertips. Kanan came to the edge and towered over him.

Their eyes met for a moment. The Inquisitor showed no signs of fear, only pure hatred. Kanan crossed his lightsabers just inches from the Sith's neck. It would be so easy. Just a flick of the wrist to decapitate this monster that had killed Ezra. His padawan's death would be avenged, and no more Jedi would have to die at his hands.

But a small voice entered his head, like a poking from behind. It was his own voice. "_If your will isn't strong enough when you open yourself to the Force, you become vulnerable to the Dark Side."_ It was a lesson he had taught Ezra. All of a sudden Kanan remembered that he was in orbit above Mustafar. The darkness here would surely love to corrupt him. But killing out of revenge wasn't the Jedi way. He would be letting down everyone who came before him if he made this strike.

"You have no idea what you've unleashed here today," the Inquisitor growled up at him.

Kanan frowned. If he thought he was turning a Jedi into a Sith, he was badly mistaken. Kanan deactivated the lightsabers and replaced them on his belt.

"There are some things far more frightening than death."

Kanan was not entirely sure what he meant by that, but his frown deepened all the same. His expression quickly changed to one of shock when the Inquisitor suddenly let go. He watched in astonishment as the Sith willingly fell into the smoldering remains of the power core down below. A second explosion rocked the ship with his impact.

Kanan knelt there on the ledge in disbelief. The Inquisitor was certainly dead. It was an ending he never would have anticipated.

It was done, however, and with the battle over, the glow of the Force inside him was beginning to dim. The star destroyer probably did not have long before it went down in a flaming fireball onto the planet's surface. He had to go get Ezra… He could not leave his body here on the dying Imperial ship.

Kanan's eyes darkened. How was he going to explain to Hera and the others that he could not protect Ezra? That he had let his padawan give his life in exchange for his own, just like Master Billaba had done before him?

_Kanan…?_ He heard the voice from far away. It sounded devastatingly familiar.

_I'm coming Ezra, _he thought, the lump returning to his throat. _I won't leave you here._

"Kanan."

No. That wasn't a voice in his head. It was real. Holding his breath, Kanan turned around.

And there stood Ezra, alive and smiling. Kanan instantly felt their bond spring back to life. The hot air rustled his padawan's dark hair, revealing two deep gashes on his left cheek.

"I thought I lost you," Kanan breathed. It was all he could bring himself to say.

"I know the feeling," Ezra answered understandingly. "Let's go home."

There was more that needed to be said, so much more, but now was not the time. The ship continued to convulse in its death throes. Kanan tossed Ezra his lightsaber and together they ran back down the walkway and out the door.

"Ow! Hera I told you, I'm fine!"

"If you were fine, then it wouldn't still hurt when I touch it. Now stop moving! You're only making it worse you know."

Kanan sat in the common room of the _Ghost_, drinking in every sound, even that of his beloved twi'lek fussing over Ezra's scars. He was seated next to Kanan as Hera leaned over him, firmly holding his chin. Of course, she had done her fair share of fussing over Kanan too for the last few days since his return. Luckily for him, his injuries were mostly internal, and did not leave any outer signs that warranted her constant attention. Not to mention that through a great deal of rest and one or two Force mediations, Kanan was already starting to feel like himself again.

Ezra, on the other hand, was the opposite. On the inside he seemed the same, a cheerfully energetic teen, but the slices on his face seemed too much for Hera to handle. She periodically slathered salve all over his cheek each time she changed the bandages.

"I don't see why it's such a big deal," Ezra complained as Hera gently rubbed the latest dose of medicine into his wound.

"Because cuts like this are going to scar, Ezra," Hera explained firmly. "But the more we treat it, the less prominent they'll be."

"So what if it scars! It doesn't look that bad…"  
Zeb chuckled from his position across the room where he sat cleaning his weapon. "Yeah, the kid thinks it makes him look tough. So whenever someone asks about it he can say, 'Yeah but you should see the other guy!'"

"That's not it!" Ezra protested.

"Well regardless," Hera said, "The Empire already has a radar out for you. The last thing you need is one more thing to help them identify you faster."

"Maybe he could wear some of my make up whenever he goes out," Sabine teased as she walked by on her way to the galley.

Chopper made an enthusiastic noise of agreement as he followed her.

"Think I'll pass," Ezra said, pouting as Hera finished her work.

Kanan leaned back in his seat with a smile, feeling no need to get involved. He could still hardly believe he was here. After his capture, he had doubted he would ever see his makeshift family again. But here they all were, together and well. Even Ezra.

Kanan was not entirely certain why he had been unable to feel Ezra's life force after his fall at the hands of the Inquisitor. He had spent long hours thinking about it during his meditations. The only conclusion he came to was that somehow the Sith had suppressed their master and apprentice bond so severely that Kanan thought it was broken. He was not well versed in the abilities of the Dark Side, but apparently this was one of them. The Inquisitor must have been hoping to weaken him by throwing him into despair. Kanan smirked. Well, that hadn't worked out so well for him, had it?

Regardless, Kanan reveled in the here and now, grateful to feel their bond glowing strongly.

"Ezra, what's this?" he heard Hera ask in a warning tone. Kanan glanced over at them. She was finished with the bandages and now held something between two fingers that was attached to Ezra's hair.

"Nothing!" he insisted, quickly brushing it behind his right ear.

Straightening, she crossed her arms and frowned down at him. "Spill it."

"It's nothing, ok? Not a big deal. Kanan told me once that Jedi padawans used to wear one braid in their hair, on the right side."

That caught Kanan's full attention. He reached over and lightly turned Ezra's head to face him. He pulled the braid out from behind his ear. In the old days, padawans would have artificial braids woven into their hair that were usually much longer than their actual hair length. But Ezra's was made with his actual hair, and as such was only a couple inches long. Somehow it suited him.

"Not bad," Kanan said, trying not to give away too much of the pride filling his chest. "You do that yourself?"

Ezra smiled sheepishly. "Well I tried, but I actually have no idea how to braid so…in the end Sabine helped me."

Hera sighed. "What did I just say about not giving the Empire more ways to identify you?"

"But not everyone knows about that tradition!" Ezra argued. "Not now anyway. It's not like the Empire encourages facts about the Jedi to be spread around. Besides, if I need to hide it I can just go like this." He swiped the braid back behind his ear.

"He's right," Kanan said before Hera could protest further. "And you're right too. If they notice anything about him, it will probably be the scars, not the braid."

Hera sighed, resigning with a smile. "Just don't let it get too long to be noticeable." Replacing the cap on the salve, she left the room.

"Thanks," Ezra said after a moment. "You know…for everything."

"Thank you too," Kanan replied, placing one hand on his padawan's shoulder. "As I understand it, you were a pretty major part of the rescue planning."

Ezra rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah well…couldn't let my master go that easily. Not when he has so much more to teach me."

"That I do. Speaking of which, it's about time we resumed your lessons. Go get your lightsaber. You're ready to learn a bit more advanced forms."

"Alright!" Ezra cried and quickly dashed off to his bunk.

Kanan stood up and stretched his legs, the smile refusing to leave his face. It was so good to be home.


End file.
